1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in road vehicles, and in particular, relates to steps adapted for specific use with the tail gates of trucks and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pickup trucks were originally designed for use as utility vehicles, in which workmen used the open bed of the vehicle for various industrial and agricultural functions. Customarily, the workmen did not require an intermediate step from the tail gate of the truck to permit access into the bed of the truck, since the truck bed was not of sufficient height to justify that additional apparatus.
However, with the advent of the use of camper bodies and similar arrangements adapted specifically for use with pickup trucks, persons of smaller stature, i.e., women and children frequently require access to the bed of the pickup truck; therefore, it has become desirable to provide an intermediate step to permit easy access into the truck body.
A number of intermediate step arrangements have been designed in the prior art.
Early examples of such arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 493,373 to Alexander, and No. 1,181,367 to Bourgon. In particular, the Bourgon arrangement employs a plate which is mounted against the inside of the tail gate of the truck, and has a hinged plate which may be rotated to the horizontal position when the truck tail gate is dropped to a complete vertical position below the truck bed.
Another arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,288 to Manuel. This arrangement is adapted to fold down to a useful position, and thereafter to be folded across the top of a truck bumper when not in use. The arrangement disclosed by Manuel includes brackets which extend rearwardly from the truck away from the back surface of the bumper, thus creating a substantial risk of damage if the brackets are struck by another vehicle from the rear, or are damaged in the process of backing the vehicle to which the step is attached.
Liptak, et al., discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,337, a retractable ladder for use on the side of a truck. The arrangement so disclosed incorporates a U-shaped bracket having curved, L-shaped extensions on the extremities thereof, permitting the sides of the step to be locked against the inside of the metal panel to which the step is attached.
Another arrangement is taught by Clugston in U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,809. This arrangement is likewise foldable into a storage position, when not in use. A "bumper flip step" is disclosed by Cross in U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,350. The arrangement taught by Cross likewise permits folding into a storage position when not in use; however, as with the arrangement disclosed by Manuel, the Cross arrangement employs brackets which extend away from the bumper of vehicle, and thus create a potential risk of damage as described above.
Other prior art of interest is disclosed by Johnson, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,324,507; Wilhelmsen, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,355; and Hopkins, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,431.